Destiny Axe Throw
by Escape Trampoline
Summary: au where everything is the same but nozomi doesn't really tarot. [(not) rated T for (don't) Try this at home]


**do you guys know one inperfectsilence? creds to her for this micro au.**

* * *

Nozomi didn't seem like the exploitative type. In the six months Eli had known her, Nozomi, though a bit of an oddball once she'd opened up, had only ever succeeded in building a reputation as the most altruistic people-persons in Otonokizaka.

Taking their places in the student council should've amplified those qualities, and it wasn't like Eli was much _against_ borrowing a target from the kyudo club to place in the student council room–it wasn't too unusual for someone like Nozomi, who spoke in riddles and and made a game of life–but just because they could suddenly permit woodworking tools to be carried in the school grounds didn't mean they _should._

Yet an axe handle stuck out of Nozomi's school bag to worry Eli hour after hour.

Sleights of hand were Nozomi's forte since her tarot phase. Eli didn't notice the approval papers, and now she couldn't argue when her supposedly responsible, honest and benevolent vice president decides to toss the axe at the kyudo target ten minutes into document sorting.

"That decides it, then," she says cheerily as she stands to retrieve that tool of imminent disaster. "We should deny the one about the extra funding for that idol research club."

"Ah, sounds like a good call," Eli says, trying her dead best to pretend that she just imagined the terrified squeak that leaped out of her throat a few seconds ago. "There are more important things to do with that money, after all." _Like pay for the window repairs for the accident last week._

Nozomi nods and gingerly sets her axe on the table as she takes her seat. "Elicchi," she says, "you wouldn't happen to be scared of my hobby, would you?"

Eli lets out a wooden laugh. "No, no, that's silly. I know you're good at throwing that axe, so there's no way–eep!"

Its head is lodged in the target again.

Nozomi hums. "I'm not convinced," she says. "The handle is lodged in there somewhere between twenty and fifteen degrees with a half-centimeter vertical offset."

"Th-that could mean anything!" Eli says.

"Untrue," Nozomi says. "It tells me that dinner tonight should be grilled. On the other hand, your high-pitched squeal tells me that this _does_ scare you."

Ahh. Well, it was only a matter of time.

Eli looks down at her lap and shakes her head. "I'm sorry, Nozomi. I support your interests, really, but it might take some time for me to get used to this."

"No, Elicchi, I should be the one apologizing," Nozomi says. "I think I haven't been paying enough attention. I shouldn't be putting my convenience before your emotional comfort." Nozomi's hand shyly slides over the desk to squeeze Eli's. "I'll stop with the axinomancy."

Eli holds back a relieved sigh, disguising it as an understanding hum. Thank goodness.

After a pause, Nozomi's hand pulls back. "There are lots of alternatives, anyway."

* * *

The next Monday is peaceful. No screaming on the school grounds from any spontaneous divination sessions, and having to retire her axe doesn't seem to have put any chinks in Nozomi's mood. As the day goes on, Eli begins to look forward to her hour of student council work, expecting it to be a period of peace and easy paperwork.

She opens the door to the student council room and gawks. Nozomi is there, and there's someone next to her in a kyudo uniform. Her hair is dark like coal, contrasting hard with her sharp, hawkish gold eyes, and Eli has never seen forearms like those on any high school girl she's ever met. Who is this.

"Elicchi!" Nozomi says. "Let me introduce you to Sonoda Umi, the person I borrowed the target from."

The frightening hawk-girl stands up and gives Eli a perfect ninety-degree bow. "A pleasure to work with you, Ayase-senpai," she says. Even her voice is dark. And 'senpai'? She's just a first-year?

"A-A pleasure to work with you, too, Sonoda-san," Eli says.

"She's joining the student council as Otonokizaka's first ever Head of Belomancy," Nozomi says. "It's not an official title yet, but the paperwork's half done, so you can expect to see a lot of her from now on."

Eli blinks. "Um… Belomancy?"

"Mm-hm. Umi-chan, if you could demonstrate."

Sonoda Umi suddenly looks uncomfortable. "Right now?"

"Right now," Nozomi says, gesturing to the window that Eli didn't notice was open. "Or maybe you need some motivation?"

Now Umi's face is a little redder than before as she shakes stiffly shakes her head and takes aim. One, two, three arrows fly out the window, and after five seconds, Umi lifts her stare from the outside and tells Nozomi, "Yazawa-san's threats are real."

"Then we should reschedule the scrying session to next Saturday."

Eli swallows.

* * *

Five minutes later, a girl that Umi calls Kotori drops in to tell them that someone named Nico had her ear grazed by one of those arrows. Nozomi's grin is just a tooth wider than usual when she remarks on how close a call it was.

* * *

 **and then she tries ornithomancy on kotori. umi notices and resigns from the student council. nozomi's reign may have ended, but legends of the otonokizaka rain of arrows persist until this day, etched in the bark of the trees and the indents scattered across school grounds. nozomi, the empress**


End file.
